What does an appraisal mean?

[pattye]

playful posts like Slraep's ought not to be taken seriously.

Usually not an issue for the regular readers/posters, but could be misinterpreted by someone looking for serious info about pearl appraisals and now that info is included too

 

[J Marcus]

Slraep,

In re-reading your posting I can see that it was probably meant as humor. However, I'm afraid that I got hung up on the statement that the crafts person: "...deserves to be overpaid..." It seems to me to imply that, all humor aside, the artisan is still overpaid. I found this to be a logical disconnect that seemed to counter the humor part of the post. I apologise if I mistook your intention and must admit that after over 30 years of listening to people dismiss and devalue the worth of craftspeoples' efforts I'm just a tad touchy about the subject.

_________________
Marc

 

[aggiep]

Marc, I get the overpriced bit all the time. The one that really irked me was about a month ago. A lady had her approx. 8 y/o son come over to my table while I was demoing my craft. He loudly asked, "Do you give free samples?" I told him no. His mother came up and was angry stating, "We come from Vegas and there kids get things free!" I retorted, "When we lived there my kids had to pay their way for everything. I doubt it has changed." The kid didn't give up all night, but whined incessently that I was to give him some free samples, not just one. I never did.

Other times I have people asking enough questions that it is obvious they want to duplicate what i do for themseleves. You usually over hear their conversations as they leave about how over priced I am. If I priced most of what I do with time spent at minimum wage, my prices would be much higher. But there are just as many who come by who think I am selling below market value. I get a balance.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

That child was out of line in persisting, and I can't imagine what the mother was thinking by letting him do so.

As to free samples, at our local mineral shows there are sometimes free mineral specimens, such as rocks or mica, but never anything of any real value.

 

[Slraep]

Slraep,

In re-reading your posting I can see that it was probably meant as humor. However, I'm afraid that I got hung up on the statement that the crafts person: "...deserves to be overpaid..." It seems to me to imply that, all humor aside, the artisan is still overpaid. I found this to be a logical disconnect that seemed to counter the humor part of the post. I apologise if I mistook your intention and must admit that after over 30 years of listening to people dismiss and devalue the worth of craftspeoples' efforts I'm just a tad touchy about the subject.

_________________
Marc

Awww, Marc. You've got me almost teary eyed here.

Yes, I did try hard to make it humourous. I thought I was picking on the buyer, though! You can't imagine(oh yes you can)the stuff I've had to bear from some interesting characters wanting custom made pieces resembling that $65,000.00 Cartier job on a "budget".

Behind the humour, I really meant to imply that the modern day artisan deserves to be overpaid--only because we do a damn good job! Ever-so-better than the job on all the generic crap out there. The "overpayment" bit was really started by Louis XIV of France you know. I'm just continuing the tradition. Back then, he overpaid all artisans and all overpaid artisans gave their ultimate best. There was nothing quite like it to follow in history. I guess the words "he's an overpaid artisan" are just an archaic way of saying that that guy's work is fit for a king.

I'm sorry you've had to endure thirty years or so of disparaging babble about artisans. It's a bit of a dying art, as Aggie said. There are not many people left who have the patience of Job either to make art or to appreciate it's painstaking making.

Slraep

 

[Sueki]

"Madam, five pounds to do the work, fifty pounds for knowing how" is how I used to deal with those who would dismiss and devalue my skills in my previous, full time, occupation....

 

[Slraep]

"Madam, five pounds to do the work, fifty pounds for knowing how" is how I used to deal with those who would dismiss and devalue my skills in my previous, full time, occupation....

Sueki! You hit it on the nose! The "fifty pounds for knowing how" is the supposed ethereal part most buyers find they "overpaid" for. Even though the buyer would have to pay loads more money and time, in lessons and experience(not counting their ability to learn), to do it themselves, and that's only if they were born with a naturally good eye for design too.

Slraep

 

[Monty Hall]

"Madam, five pounds to do the work, fifty pounds for knowing how" is how I used to deal with those who would dismiss and devalue my skills in my previous, full time, occupation....

Right on!!! Many things of real human value--of soul--are under appreciated today. "Pearls before swine." The soul cannot be encapsulated in an appraisal.

When I hear an orchestra performance, I often think of the thousands of years' worth of expertise required for one hour of my enjoyment. Daily practice hours over many years by each orchestra member, plus the daily practice of the crafting and maintenance of the instruments themselves.

Just think of the kind of audience the child from Aggie.P's post will become when he is older. It makes me shudder--a greedy little culturally deprived Babbitt and Philistine in the making.

The thing that blows my mind about Vincent Van Gogh is not so much his unique artistic vision, nor his talent, nor the volume of his output, but mostly that he persisted as long as he did despite the wet circus tent inexorably bearing down upon him.

Everyone seriously practicing a craft today (and this includes the art of growing things) is nothing less than a hero--keeping human *civilization* alive during the cultural Dark Age in which we live.

CarolK

 

[Miriam Reed]

"Madam, five pounds to do the work, fifty pounds for knowing how" is how I used to deal with those who would dismiss and devalue my skills in my previous, full time, occupation....

Well put! Years of practice to develop the skills necessary to produce a work of art should not be undervalued.
Marcus, if you're creating custom-made jewelry for the price of mass produced stuff, I'm coming to visit you!

 

[Nathan Reed]

When one has a piece hand made, the piece is being crafted according to your personal specifications by a craftsperson, who, if they are good, has undergone years of study and training and practice, practice, practice to get to the point that they can faithfully create this piece for you just the way you want it. It's not just an "off the rack" casting.

A craftsman can truly be called a modern Michelangelo. They invest not only their time, energy and resources into creating a piece of art unlike any other, but they also use the rarest gift of all? an artistic soul. What they make can never be priced by the same standards as what is mass produced. Both the craftsman and his work are worth their weight in gold.

I?m sorry that some ?people dismiss and devalue the worth of craftspeoples' efforts?. I hope none of us would intentionally do so.

 

[Heidi]

In a perfect world we'd all see the genius in each one of us (all = the global citizenry) and artisans would be paid richly.

In my profession I run across all kinds of disparaging attitudes. One thing we learned in a professional practice course required in my degree program was never to give our work away for free or to sell it on the cheap. The most valuable lesson, I think.

 

[Nerida]

Heidi - these are my thoughts, too. I never begrudge paying the fees for medical specialists, either - I think that Sueki's comment is the truest - most of the fees are paid for expertise, something we should all value more highly!

 

[GemGeek]

Marc did a great job of explaining the main types of appraisals. Remembering that craftspeople and jewelry store owners deserve to make a profit is certainly kind. We all have choices, according to our desires and our pocketbooks, thankfully.

If I may point something out about appraisals for insurance...

In order to get a reasonable replacement, you need a very detailed appraisal that will ensure the same type, cut, size, color and quality of gemstone, as well as the craftsmanship of the jewelry fabrication.

Insurance varies wildly in how "replacement" happens. Value can be established by working up the component costs to remake it or gathering data on comparable sales in the appropriate market related to your area of the country. Or, in the case of a jewelry store appraisal, the book retail value without discounts.

If you have an insurance replacement policy based on a brief description on a sales invoice, you may not get an identical replacement. The better the description, the better the replacement.

If the insurance is based on the higher amount that you did not pay, and your insurance is not for agreed-value paid on loss, you will overpay for insurance for every year that you own the item.

Insurers love it when you have a high appraisal, since most policies say they only have to replace it with a like item. More profit at less risk. In truth, many policies have an "out" for the insurer that lets them pay you in cash what they would pay to replace the item. They have agreements with companies that provide wholesale replacements. Obviously, you would not be able to purchase the same item with a wholesale payment.

So, while insurance companies are not necessarily out to trick you, you need to be very careful to understand exactly what will happen with a claim for loss or damage. Jeweler's Mutual is very good about ensuring that you are paid enough to purchase a replacement in the same purchasing venue, because they work closely with brick and mortar jewelers.

Anyone can call themselves an appraiser, so be sure to find a good one, preferably a gemologist-appraiser. Look for one on the ASA or NAJA websites, or don't insure it at all. Chances are that nothing will ever happen to it if you take good care of it and don't leave it lying around the house.

 

[J Marcus]

Oh my--I seem to have started a bit of a stir here. Thanks for the kind words, folks. It really hasn't been all that bad. I think that I got an overdose of the "nattering nabobs of negativity" back in the 1970's when I started out by doing craft fairs. (Heh, heh--It's an election year after all. . . )

GemGeek: What great information you've put in here! It's true that many simple legal documents like insurance policies and gaurantees have gotten so tricky and arcane that one almost needs to drag a lawyer with you to check every little detail on anything in writing anymore. And that's a really good point about about not getting an inflated appraisal because of the premiums one will end up paying. An awful lot of the insurance companies seem to go far out of their way to see to it that they can cover items "on the cheap" these days. I use an insurance company that costs a little more than many for their coverage, but when I need to make use of it, I don't have to put up with a lot of twisting and squirming while they try to get out of paying a penny more than they absolutely have to.

Having seen what appraisers have to go through when they do a thorough job, I can say that a good one earns well every penny they receive.

--------------------------
Marc

 

[pattye]

so be sure to find a good one, preferably a gemologist-appraiser.

One of these days our very own lovely and talented Gemgeek will be just that!!!

 

[GemGeek]

:::::blushing:::::

 

[Monty Hall]

:::::blushing:::::

GemGeek,

Is Pattye referring to a true dual-career plan of yours? If so, please let us all know when you get certified. You will have many clients!!!

CarolK

 

[GemGeek]

That is very kind of you to say. In fact, it made me feel pretty darn good!

I am at the last stage of studying to get my Graduate Gemologist Diploma from GIA. At the same time, I have been involved with appraisal organizations and learning more about antique jewelry. In order to be a good appraiser, you pretty much have to be a jewelry historian, so I have a lot of work and more programs to complete before I put out a shingle.

My true specialty is pearls. Very few appraisers have reliable expertise in pearls and it takes a lot of work to stay current at the rate that new pearl types/styles/treatments come out. Attending trade shows was a lot more fun when I was just buying for my business. Now I have to evaluate what's available and keep track of pricing.

My friends are pushing me to start the FGA program right after I get my GG. It's a deeper program from the UK and it would delay my official appraisal training by two years, so who knows when I will be ready? I am such a gem geek. I love minerals and esoteric things like crystal structure and the periodic table of elements, so it's right up my alley.

Cheers,
Blaire

 

[pearlescence]

Aha! I was wondering if there was a UK equivalent to the GIA. Can you point me at this FGA thing please Blaire?
I've been too busy/lazy to look (blush)

 

[Heidi]

Hi Wendy -

See this LINK for info on the FGA designation. Lower right paragraph on their page.

Blaire - What an awesome goal! I hope you get to do it. So very interesting.